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Gun control will not solve all problems

DEAR EDITOR:

There are background checks if you buy a gun from a reputable dealer — federal, state and local. You have to wait a month. But you have to enforce the laws on the books. Pawn shops, guns bought illegally — bought from Mexico by cartels, brought across from another state, now that’s another story. How are you going to regulate these folks?

It is not a legal gun owner who kills. Most murders are by handguns, but more people are stabbed to death than murdered with a rifle. More people are bludgeoned to death with hands and feet than are murdered with a rifle. Where you live is a big factor. Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Baltimore, Los Angeles and most of these cities of high crime have the harshest gun laws. No one wants to talk about black-on-black crime, which is significant in all these cities. Are you between the age of 15 and 34? That is another factor.

And almost all mass shooters have mental health issues, but we closed all the mental health hospitals and give these people drugs. Great — if they take medication. If not, you have a problem. Domestic violence, who is the partner you are involved with? Higher rates of gun ownership are not associated with reduction in violent crime. And Joe Biden has no business saying, “The Second Amendment is not absolute.” Shame on him.

Gun ownership is higher among whites, but the murder rate among African Americans is higher. And there is no relationship between strict gun control legislation and homicide or violent crime rates.

RUTH LILLEY

Niles

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